The Enchanter's Legacy
by Khrijunk
Summary: Adventure is not always what it promises to be. Kendiian is a young wood elf who longs for his first adventure and finds more than he wanted in a time before the widespread exploration of Velious.
1. Prologue

* * *

A large boat floated lazily along the calm waters of the Faydwer shore of the Ocean of Tears. Transporting passengers from across the ocean, the ship had nearly reached the end of its voyage. It turned into the wind as it neared the shore, with the land to the right as it neared the dock  
  
Unseen from those on the ship, a dark figure lay hidden in the shallows. It remained completely still as the ship passed by. When it had gone out of sight, the figure slowly rose from the water and strode fluidly to the shore. A dark coat hid the features of the stranger, but nothing could hide the way it towered, even hunched over as it was.  
  
When the strange figure of a man reached the land, his legs began to wobble as if unused to being out of the water. His coat pressed wetly against him, causing him to struggle all the more. Water poured in drenches from off his coat, the presence of which phased him less than the air he now stood in.  
  
He reached under his waterlogged coat and pulled from beneath it a crude metal looking dagger that bore a small symbol of waves on its hilt. He walked to one of the larger trees facing the dock and plunged the dagger into the bark.

* * *

"It is high time we taught you Humans the fine art of courtesy dwarven style!" bellowed Anglar the dwarf as he strode confidently through his native land. He had not been back in Butcherblock in several years, but the trees and mountains where just as he remembered from when he was young. He had been across the ocean mingling with Humans and Erudites for the past three years, having grand adventures notable for a dwarf of his skill with a axe. It was during these adventures that he had picked up his two traveling companions, Pyvar the Human ranger, and Syslavia the Erudite magician. Now that they were back in his country he would see them receive a proper welcome.  
  
Pyvar and Syslavia glanced warily down each side of the mountain path as they continued. They had heard reports of increased goblin activity around these parts, but Anglar wasn't going to let that spoil the mood. Let them try to ambush, they would feel the edge of his axe and be welcomed to it. The dwarf couldn't help running a hand over the pommel of his axe thoughtfully.  
  
A yell from the path in front of them brought all three heads whipping around. A very young dwarf desperately holding on to a broken half of spear scampered up the path and nearly ran into Syslavia. The youngling glanced from face to face frantically, the broken haft holding him up as he breathed deeply.  
  
Syslavia laid a hand on his shoulder while smiling down on the panting dwarf. "What is the matter young one?"  
  
The dwarf stared up into her eyes for a second before gesturing weakly down the path he had just come down. Before he could say something, however, Anglar could hear several footsteps running up the path towards them. Pyvar tested the air for a second, then turned to the rest "goblins coming."  
  
Anglar pulled the axe from its belted loop while Pyvar eased his sword out. While the boy hid behind Syslavia, he and Pyvar took up position to either side of the path just as the first goblins ran into them. The first two were brought down by the axe and sword, but as Anglar removed his weapon from a still quivering goblin chest, several more ran past him toward the child. Pyvar already had his sword free and was gesturing toward the two racing past them. Just as they were about to leap up to Syslavia, the ground erupted below their feet, entwining them in the roots from a nearby tree.  
  
Anglar swiped his axe at the next one coming up the path, but he could see that with so many swarming they could not melee them all. From the corner of his eye, he saw Pyvar pull his sword from one and drive it into another, but for each they killed, another was getting through until several stood between them and Syslavia..  
  
Anglar turned from those coming, and swung his axe into the back of one surrounding the Erudite. Still not enough. A goblin knife slashed past his ear from behind, drawing blood and nearly taking the ear with it. The dwarven warrior cursed as he swung back around to concentrate on those before him. Before he could strike out the goblins surrounding the mage ignited, their charred bodies falling to the ground around her. The remaining goblins watched their comrades fall, then turned and fled up the path wailing in despair.  
  
Finding a non charred body, Anglar wiped his axe head on a piece of clean cloth and stuck it back into his belt loop. Over the burning goblins, he could hear the child still sobbing behind Syslavia. The older dwarf watched the younger grimly. He stepped forward to chastise the boy, no dwarf should cry like that, when Syslavia straightened suddenly. Her gaze had been fixed on the boy, but now she stood and stared beyond the area above his head.  
  
She spoke in a narrow, quivering voice, "Something is disrupting the magic here." Gripping her staff tightly, she ran off in the direction she had been staring.  
  
Anglar didn't need to see Pvyar's reaction before running after her, he knew the ranger would follow. The three raced down the path with the child struggling to keep up. Syslavia left the path and began running down a slope towards the ocean with the rest directly behind. At the bottom of the slope, they could see the great Ocean of Tears stretching forth before them. In front of the shore, before a giant tree with a dagger jammed into its trunk stood a tall figure in a dark cloak. Water drenched the cloak and was dripping from it in streams. The face was hidden behind a shadow of the hood, but something was…off about it.  
  
The three companions slid to a halt at the foot of the cliff, the young dwarf running into the older as he followed. Syslavia hissed at the cloaked man, or perhaps the dagger in the tree, and began gesturing. Mid-gesture, she pulled a stone from within a pouch at her belt and tossed it into the air. The stone shone as magic was poured into it, and began to take form into an earth elemental, a towering man shaped figure of solid stone. With a gesture from Syslavia, the elemental charged at the dark cloaked figure.  
  
That was all the sign Anglar needed, he charged at the stranger, drew his axe from its loops, and swung at the shape in one fluid motion. The hood of the cloak flew back as the figure jumped away from its blade, revealing a head resembling a fish with a mask of some sort covering the mouth. He heard Pvyar gasp, and Syslavia mutter "Kedge" to herself.  
  
A memory tickled Anglar about the Kedge, but he didn't know what and didn't waste time thinking. His axe swung towards the strange fish head, but the figure ducked to get out of the way. Pevlar had his sword out too and was next to Anglar striking at the Kedge. The ranger swung at the mid section of the cloak, with the Kedge dancing just out of reach. The new position was directly in front of Anglar's axe, and he swung it through where the fish like face had been. Recovering himself, he saw the Kedge had teleported itself several feet away from them.  
  
It gestured at Pevlar, and twin lighting bolts flashed from his hands into the ranger's torso. His friend shook as the lighting coursed through his body and fell to the ground not moving. He adjusted his grip on the handle of the axe as he watched him fall, and flew at the Kedge in a rage. His axe swung back and forth, driving the sea creature back among the trees with each swing. The elemental was also charging towards it, but a quick motion of its hands made the living statue burst into a shower of stones and pebbles.  
  
Anglar shielded himself from the onslaught of stones, but the respite was all the Kedge needed. Another motion of its hands and a flame left its hands to strike something behind him. He didn't need Syslavia's shriek to know its intended target, but still looked back. Syslavia lay on the ground, skin charred as black as those goblins before. Even her robe was on fire. Beyond the erudite, a young cowering dwarf half hid himself behind a tree.  
  
"Run lad!" Anglar belted. "Get out of here!" Rage filled him completely, he knew those words must be said but forgot why as soon as t hey were out. His entire focus was the monstrosity that stood before him. Blindly, he charged at the Kedge with his axe before him. The creature crafted lightning again, but Anglar moved before it struck, the lightning going off to the right of him. The Kedge did not have time to react, and Anglar swung the axe towards the face, slicing the mask it wore in two.  
  
As the axe slid into the strange device, the creature fell to the ground wheezing as if not getting any air. Anglar stood above the thrashing body, raising his axe for a final blow. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him, and did not know he was not alone until a hand was placed on his shoulder. He gave a start, and nearly jumped but didn't have time to turn around. The instant the hand was placed on his shoulder, he felt a pain from it spreading through his entire body. The hurt was like fire seeping directly into him, his muscles gave way and he fell to the ground. As he lay on thrashing with fire spreading on every nerve of his body, he could just make out a dark hand sliding into a gauntlet above before darkness came to him.


	2. A Rogue Mail Carrier

Dawn streamed down through the trees in the Greater Faydark amidst towering trunks that filtered only streamers of light below. The homeland of the elves stood distant from humans and their kin, protected by their goddess Tunare. 

Little troubled the elves except for the occasional raid by orcs, quickly thwarted by the Emerald Warriors, fierce fighters of the wood elves who lived deep within the forest. Their great city of Kelethin rose above all troubles, supported on platforms among trees. Giant wooden lifts allowed the only access up into the city. The lifts connected to the trunk of one of the trees with a wooden circle that easily slid up an down. The lifts rose people into a great city of wooden platforms in three levels. Some surrounded trees while others hung between with suspension bridges connecting them, while giant ramps brought people from one level to another.

Along one of the platforms, an armored group marched purposefully along the merchants and adventurers who inhabited the section of the city. As they marched along, calls and whistles came from those around. One merchant bellowed, "How goes the fight against dirty laundry?" The crowd around them burst into laughter, but the soldiers marched by trying to ignore them.

After the soldiers had passed, a young wood elf peeked from behind the trunk of the tree holding the platform. He was of average height, with short dark hair pulled back with a headband. He wore the standard tan tunic of his people with a small dagger sheath hung at his belt. Jutting from the sheath was a bejeweled hilt fit for a ceremonial dagger and did not match him at all. He sprinted towards the rope bridge leading to the platform the armed group came from, but another group appearing on the other side of the bridge stopped him. He changed direction at the edge and darted instead up a ramp towards an upper platform. The soldiers on the bridge shouted behind him and he could hear both groups running.

A few feet from the top of the ramp, he stopped and looked back. The leader of the Emerald Warriors, Captain Silverwind, was marching up the ramp towards him while the others made two straight rows behind. Silverwind did not look pleased. "Kandiian, you need to come with us, we must talk" he said seriously, eyes locked on the young wood elf.

Kandiian tried to put on a mask of resignation as they approached. When the armored elves reached the mid point of the ramp, he stepped off the edge and landed on the platform directly below. He rolled as he landed but was on his feet in seconds and running away from the ramp. From behind he could hear armor bumping into armor as the guards ran down the ramp behind, apparently not wanting to risk leaping onto a wooden platform in full plate.

The young rogue frantically climbed ramps and crossed hanging suspension bridges almost blindly attempting to stay ahead of Silverwind. Dodging a plated figure in the distance, he ran down a ramp instead of crossing the bridge he meant to. On the lower platform, a bridge ran off to his left and right. On impulse he took the one to his left, which lead to another platform with another bridge. He took that bridge and stopped. One of the lifts was directly in front of him, lowered to the ground. No ramps connected to this platform and the only other way off was the bridge he had just come across.

Trapped. He should have watched where he was traveling more closely. A couple of small buildings where on this platform all shut tight. He moved to one and tried the door, locked. The lift began to move up and Kandiian jumped at the sound. He frantically ran towards the next house but it too was locked tight. With the lift halfway up and no unlocked buildings on this platform to duck into, he started to panic.

Shouts from behind reached his ears and he looked back, the guards had reached a platform several bridges away and were looking around trying to find him. From his belt pouch, he pulled a toolkit containing several small bits of slender metal. He pulled one from a small band of leather and placed it inside the keyhole of the door closest to him. He twisted the metal quickly and was relieved to hear the soft click to indicate the locking mechanism disengaging. He flung open the door enthusiastically, ducked inside and closed it behind him. He leaned against the door and breathed deeply. From behind he could hear the lift finish its assent and armored footsteps ran across the platform. They stopped midway and Kandiian held his breath, his heart pounding like a bard's drum in his chest. Finally, they moved to the wooden bridge and Kandiian was able to release his breath.

A cough behind him echoed in his ears and he jerked his head around to see who he had intruded upon. Recognition took only a second however, and relief replaced fear on his face. Sitting behind a giant writing desk filled with loosely scattered papers and a half emptied bottle of ink sat an elf he was extremely happy to see.

Nolweas wore a frown on a face unused to it. He had been one of Kandiian's parent's traveling companions, but since their deaths he had resigned to stay in the city to watch after him and his grandmother. He also worked at what he was calling his great epic detailing his travels when he was younger. Kandiian had seen some of his notes and they filled his head with longing to go on adventures like those.

"Frowns don't look right on you Nolweas." He said clearing a side of the desk of papers and sitting down, the trouble from outside forgotten for the moment. He glanced at a few of those near him, but they looked more like lists than notes.

"I take it the guard is after you?" the bard said calmly, appearing to concentrate on a paper in front of him.

Kandiian laughed in delight as he recalled what sparked the guard's anger. "You would have loved it, it was a brilliant joke. Everyone is so wrapped up in reports of orcs around here, so I arranged some clothes on a lift to look like an orc and Silverwind happened to be near the lift when it was risen. He rushed for the orc as soon as it came up, and was stabbing and stabbing until he realized it was just a pile of clothes." He recalled the look on the captain's face and nearly fell off the desk laughing.

Nulweas sat listening to the tale grimly but the edges of his mouth moved near the end. Finally he let the mask fall and laughed alongside. "You need to behave better," Nulweas said between laughs, trying to sound serious but failing. He had been as mischievous in his day according to stories he told, which was probably why Kandiian felt a closeness with him.

"Its still nothing like what you've done." He sighed. "For once I want an adventure like those you went on."

"You may regret that if you find yourself on one. Adventures aren't always enjoyable and very seldom have a happy ending." Kandiian just shrugged. He had heard it before but it didn't change his ambitions. Nulweas looked at him, considering. "If you feel that way, I may have something for you."

Kandiian nearly jumped off the desk in excitement, "An adventure?" he questioned hastily.

The bard reached inside his cloak and pulled forth a sealed envelope. "I need this delivered to a contact in Kaladim."

The young rogue's eyes were fixed on the envelope. He had hoped for more than a delivery, but still "What's in it?" he asked carefully, "Secret plans of some sort, or perhaps the last few lines of a powerful spell?" His mind raced with the possibilities.

"Actually, its an order for more of your grandmother's medicine from Halas." Nulweas explained.

Kandiian's shoulders drooped, he had been hoping for something more prestigious. Instead of declining, however, he asked "Does that stuff really help? She is still confined to her bed."

"It eases her pain, which is all we can do for now." Nulweas said sadly.

Kandiian nodded and reached for the envelope. Perhaps not a heroic adventure but at least important in a way. "The guards won't let me leave easily."

Nulweas nodded and stood. He reached for a small hand drum on a shelf above him and motioned Kandiian closer. He began tapping out a rhythm on the drum and Kandiian could feel his skin tingle as the notes surrounded him. His feet left the ground and he knew that the music would make him invisible as well as run faster. This was an enchantment of the bards.

"That should keep you safe until you are well out of the city. Be sure to deliver the letter to Kilam Oresinger in the dwarven city." The bard replaced the drum on the shelf and sat back at the desk. Kandiian wasted no time, as soon as he was finished speaking he left the building and flung himself off the platform. The fading notes kept his feet afloat, slowly lowering him to the ground as he ran. The enchantment didn't fade until he was far from the city, and he set a brisk pace towards Kaladim. As he walked, he imagined to himself what grand adventure's he would like to have.


	3. Message Delivered

Except for a giant statue of the first dwarven king, the city of Kaladim is not very impressive from the outside; it exists as simply a hole in the mountains. However, it is deep within this mountain that the true city lies. The city of Kaladim is really a vast network of caves and passages that extend far into the heart of the Butcher Block Mountains. The caves are extremely claustrophobic to wood elves like Kandiian who prefers the open spaces between trees of his home.

Kandiian had been here before, but never stayed too long. As he passed by the outer guards, the small passage loomed before him speaking of cramped spaces and uncomfortable small rooms. He took a breath and plunged into the caves.

Caves are not the right word for these passages, as other visitors from other continents have remarked at how elegantly the dwarves had carved a place for themselves out of the mountain. The entrance was only small for a little bit then it opened into a vast chamber that resembled a regular village. Small houses and forgeries presented a normal view to any visitor except for the fact that they were not outside.

On one of his visits to Kaladim, Nuweas was with him and had introduced him to Kilam so Kandiian knew right where he to deliver the message. He passed through the houses quickly, keeping to open spaces as much as possible. Sometimes he had to hold his breath and squeeze through a tight corner, however. After some time he finally made it to the tavern Kilam was normally at.

As he laid his hand on the door, a wave of nostalgia hit him; the last time he was here he had found out about his parents. Nulweas had brought him to the door and said:

"I want to you to be very brave about what we are going to tell you in here."

He had not been sure what the bard was talking about at the time. Now he wishes he had been more brave.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he held his breath against the sudden burst of pipe smoke and opened the door. As the haze of the smoke faded, his eyes went unconsciously to the lone table in the corner away from the rest of the common room. The table where personal business was conducted. His eyes traced the outline of Nulweas, the high elf paladin Tulanas, the barbarian Shaman Sulea, and the gnome necromancer Zalnak; his parent's adventuring companions. All where seated at the table facing him and giving him the awful news. And he was just sitting there among the most powerful individuals he knew, crying.

He had to shake his head to get back to reality once again, and his eyes left the table and began searching for the other individual he had known had been there that day. He found Kalim sitting on the Dias strumming a lute for the enjoyment of the taverns patrons. He was a wood elf with short brown hair that barely came out the sides of a felt hat. He wore a standard tunic, and he would seem a common tavern minstril except the lute he played was lined with gold and looked like it belonged in a palace.

As Kandiian walked up to him, the bard set down the lute and leaped to his feet. "Ah! Another of my kind comes among these fine stout folks! Kandiian, I believe?"

Kandiian smiled shyly and nodded, glancing about awkwardly. He didn't feel comfortable with much attention on him. At least, not unless he was the one making the disturbance. "Hi Kalim, Nulweas sent me on an errand." He held out the small envelope.

Kalim snatched the envelope from his hands with a flourish. "A pleasure to pass along a message from a fellow bard, is this headed to the same place as the others?"

"Yeah, more medicine for my grandmother."

"I'm sure Sulea will have no problems mixing up another batch, she was quite fond of your grandmother when she was younger. Tell me, is she getting better?"

Kandiian shook his head sadly, and a bit angrily. "No, Nulweas says that all they do is help the pain. I wish there was something I could do to make her better. Maybe some adventure I could go on to find a cure for her."

Kalim laid a hand on his shoulder, "You might not be so eager for an adventure if you ever find yourself on one, lad."

"You sound like Nulweas." Kandiian sighed.

"I understand how you feel, your grandmother raised you what with your parents always questing. I'm sure Sulea will find a cure for her one of these days. I will be sure she gets this letter."

"Thanks Kalim, I hope she does find one." Kandiian waved goodbye to the older elf and he left the tavern. His parents where always questing, finding adventures to have in far off lands. Seeing more of Norrath than he would probably ever see.

As he passed through he village heading back to the exit, he got stalled in the village behind a group of important looking Kaladim officials escorting a young dwarf among them. The dwarf's face looked like it permanently had an expression of fear on it and he was holding a broken haft of a spear like a talisman.

"Kedge you say?" one of the important dwarves barked at the head of the group. She wore a long, golden chain down the front of her white dress marking her as the head of a goverment office.

"That's right ma'am," the dwarf from her side spoke up. "The young one said something about a tall man with a fish head. That means either Kedge or an illusion."

The head dwarf suddenly stopped and turned on her companion. The young dwarf ran into the person in front of him in his daze. "It IS an illusion! The Kedge are dead except for Autropos. He killed them all in his keep where he keeps himself. So I'll hear no more of this Kedge nonsense Baurne."

The group began moving again, and Kandiian followed behind. This conversation sounded pretty adventurous. As they passed into a long corridor, Baurne spoke up again, "As you know, we did not find any bodies except for Anglar's party, and aside from the battle nothing out of the ordinary except the knife."

"Did you bring it with you?"

"It is stuck in the tree through some enchantment. We are looking into it now, but the knife bears the sign of Prexus, which of course is aiding the rumors of the Kedge."

The head dwarf looked to be about to admonish her companion again, but instead of saying anything a gurgling sound came out. She fell backwards into the group with a crossbow bolt visible between her eyes. Kandiian shrunk against the wall as two dwarves with crazed expressions leaped from the shadows and began striking at the dwarves within the group. It was obvious they were not expecting an assault and where quickly overcome.

The young dwarf had been pushed back to have the party between him and the two killers. Instead of running off, however, he just stood there holding on to his spear. Kandiian leapt from his hiding spot and grabbed the young dwarf by the hand and ran back down the corridor towards the village. The young dwarf was easy to lead away and soon Kandiian had them both back in the village and hiding in one of the empty houses with some quick work with his lock picks. He waited in the dark for the two dwarves to leave the corridor and pass the house they were hiding in before releasing his breath.

After the two had left the village area, Kandiian and the young dwarf slipped out of the house and quietly made their way out of Kaladim. _Dwarves killing dwarves _Kandiian thought, _what is going on here_?


	4. An Investigation

After he was well away from Kaladim, Kandiian stopped running. The young dwarf had been making good time behind him, but was now wearing out. He still would not let go of the spear and Kandiian was not about to try taking it from him. He knew he had to get the two of them somewhere safe with someone he trusted, fast. Those dwarves had come out of nowhere and they might be searching in Butcherblock for them as he stood there.

He figured Silverwing and his guards would still be looking for him in Kelethin, so returning to Nulweas was out of the question. The only other person that might help was Tulanas, the high elf paladin from his parent's adventuring party. Making his mind up to go to the high elf city Felwithe, the two started walking again.

He tried several times on the journey to get the kid to open up, but without success. The dwarf just stared ahead vacantly and after a while he gave up and traveled the rest of the way in silence. As they passed out of the mountains and into the familiar forest, Kandiian tried to relax. He had made it out of there safely, yet those dwarves had died while he fled. Sure, the kid would have died too if he hadn't done anything but he still felt like a coward. Not at all how he had imagined he would be if he ever got a chance to go on an adventure. He couldn't even bring himself to call this adventure, there where no songs a bard would sing about a cowardly rogue who ran when innocent people where being killed.

They walked in silence until they reached the entrance to the high elf city. The building of the city of Felwithe was an intricate marriage of dwarf earth shaping with Elvin magic that brought out the best of the two races skill. Solid building structures at the main entrance and small shops further in start to become more delicate the closer a traveler gets to the great high elf magic academy. Tulanas would be at the paladin guild, not far from the entrance to the city.

Kandiian led his companion through the city. The guards gave the small dwarf a curious glance but kept to their posts without raising any questions. Wood elves and dwarves where always welcome inside despite their situation. After a quick walk they made it to the paladin guild and up to Tulanas' office. Without hesitation, Kandiian knocked on Tulanas' door.

"Yes yes, don't bother knocking, just come in," Tulanas' voice came from inside the room, "I hope you have some good information."

Confused, Kandiian opened the door, "Tulanas?"

The high elf Tulanas sat behind a desk littered with papers. He was a tall, slender elf with long golden hair that fell to his shoulders and crowned by a silver band with the emblem of the paladins emblazoned on the front. When Kandiian poked his head into the room, the older elf looked up from the desk and blinked at him for a second, "Kandiian? Kandiian! Yes! Sorry, thought you were someone else. Come on in."

Kandiian came the rest of the way in and ushered the dwarf inside. "You look busy, am I interrupting?"

"Perhaps, but I could use one. We're currently investigating some strange events across Faydwer right now and its confusing to say the least." Tulanas glanced at the young dwarf, "Who is your friend?"

Kandiian left the dwarf standing by the door and found a seat next to Tulanas' desk. "I don't know, and that is why I came to see you. I'm not sure what to do." He told the older elf of his experience in Kaladim. Everything the group said to what happened after.

When he was done, Tulanas sat back in his chair thinking. After a moment he picked up a piece of paper from his desk and stared at it. "You said there was the sign of Prexus on the knife they found?"

"That's what the lady said...before..."

Tulanas leaned forward and showed him the paper. It had an image of a small knife sticking out of a tree with wavy lines on the hilt. "There are other daggers that our scouts have found, all bearing the mark of Prexus. None so out in the open like that though. I wonder if they are taking the extra risk to step up their plan."

"Who?"

The paladin sighed, "We don' t know. We do know that these daggers are enchanted however and cannot be removed. But as to what they are for, we don't know. Your story of the Kedge sheds new light though, and might explain the sign of Prexus. He is, after all, the god of the sea."

"When that was mentioned, though, they said that the Kedge where extinct except for one, I can't remember the name."

"That would be Phinigel Autropos, he is the last known member of the Kedge race. The story goes that he was trying to cast a spell of such magnitude it would forever label him as one of the most powerful spell casters in Norrath. However, something went wrong with it and it killed every one of his kind in Kedge Keep. Now he stays there mourning the loss of his people."

"That's horrible..." Kandiian wasn't sure what to feel for Phinigel. It was sad he was alone, but it was his own fault for it too.

Tulanas just nodded and stood up. He came around his desk until he stood next to the young dwarf, then knelt down so he could look the dwarf in the face. Before he could say anything however, the door opened and a young girl slipped into the room. She was a young, petite high elf with long, golden hair that hung to her waste. A golden band circled her head with the symbol of the king marked her as royalty. Tulanas quickly stood to face her, then just as quickly knelt again. "Princess?"

"Oh, get up Tulanas...I so hate it when people do that," she said, however the look she shot at Kandiian made it clear she had noticed his failure to kneel.

Tulanas got to his feet and returned to his desk. "How may I serve you Princess?" he asked calmly. Kandiian reached out and grabbed the young dwarf by the shoulders and lead him along the wall out of the way. He could not say why, but he felt on obligation for the kid, as though getting him out of Kaladim had introduced something he had not felt before. He stopped thinking about it and started observing the newcomer. He knew who she was, of course, he had been trained on all the royalty of Faydwer by Nulweas. She was the Lady Amiynn, the younger daughter of the king. As she entered the room, her long skirts made an unattended train across the floor.

Amiynn crossed the room and sat on Tulanas' desk, crossing her legs and arranging her skirts in a dignified manner, despite the extra material. "Faldar is supposed to be back today, but nobody will tell me when."

"Forgive me princess, but nobody knows. Lieutenant Faldar is returning from an important mission right now, however his return is left open. Shall I send for you when he comes in?"

"No, he will want to talk to you when he gets in, so I am staying right here. That way he will have no choice but to speak to me when he returns." The princess leafed through some of the pictures on the desk, but it became clear she didn't know what she was looking at. With her eyes on the papers, she dismissively waved at Kendiian, "Just keep doing what you were doing."

With a quiet nod to the princess, Tulanas returned to kneel beside the dwarf. He placed a hand on the youngsters face and began chanting a spell. As he finished chanting, his hand glowed for a brief second. The only reaction was the kid grasping the staff tighter and shrinking against Kendiian. Without realizing it, the wood elf had laid a hand reassuringly on the young dwarf's shoulder.

Tulanas got to his feet with a thoughtful expression on his face. Amiynn still looked to be reading a report, but her eyes where focused on the paladin. "There is nothing physically or magically wrong with this child, his current situation must be solely caused by whatever traumatic event he has experienced. With time we could probably cure him of even that and hopefully get him to speak again. He can stay here for the time being and I shall send his description to some contacts inside Kaladim, finding his family should speed his recovery."

"What about those two killers? What if they find out where he is through their looking and come for him?"

"We will keep him well protected. If they were after him then he must know something, however you must realizing they might simply have been thieves or assassins and not for him specifically."

"They where, I saw a look on their face. I can't really describe it, but I know they were trying to get to him. Why else would they have hunted us down?"

"Neither thieves nor assassins like witnesses, Kendiian." Tulanas returned to his desk and took out a fresh sheet of paper. He began sketching on the paper and occasionally looking up at the dwarf. Amiynn set her paper down and was watching Tulanas fill out the report. Kendiian was happy to know that the boy would be well looked after, and that he might even have helped Tulanas with his investigation. Maybe it would make a decent story to tell Nulweas after all.

Just as Tulanas finished his writing, a knock sounded at the door. A firm voice accompanied the knock, "Lieutenant Faldar reporting for debriefing sir."

Without waiting for Tulanas to respond, Amiynn leapt to her feet and ran to the door. She flung it open to reveal a tall high elf covered from the neck down by a highly polished mithril coat. He bore his head nobly with his eyes focused in front of him in a soldier's attention stance. Amiynn immediately grabbed the newcomers arm, "Welcome back! I've missed you so much! I'm sorry I yelled before you left..."

She trailed off as Tulanas gently coughed behind her. "Welcome back lieutenant, I'm sure the princess and yourself have lots to discuss but I want to go over what you saw out there first."

Faldar stepped into the room and before speaking his eyes glanced at Kandiian and the young dwarf. His steps faltered and he stopped, his eyes locked on the dwarf.

Tulanas blinked in surprise, "Don't worry about them Faldar, they can hear whatever you have to...Faldar?" Faldar had taken a hesitant step toward the dwarf and the look on his face changed from firm and noble to a strained look as though he were in pain.

Amiynn began looking concerned and slid in front of the soldier, "Faldar, what are you-" she began, but he pushed her aside and continued to advance. The look on his face was confusing, his eyes still looked kind but scared, but his face bore a mask of fury. He tried reaching for the dwarf but Kendiian dragged him away, towards Tulanas. Faldar tried making another grab, but by then Tulanas had come from around the desk and put himself in Faldar's way. Faldar's eyes glanced from the dwarf to the paladin with what might be taken as a look of regret except for his face, and he began to draw his sword.

"Faldar!" Amiynn grabbed his sword hand, but he struck her with his backhand flinging her against the wall. She fell to the ground, stunned. Tulanas reached for the sword hand and had more luck, keeping him from drawing it completely.

"Stop this Faldar, the dwarf is not your enemy!" By then guards had heard the commotion and where running to the room. Kendiian was pressed against a wall trying to keep both himself and the dwarf behind Tulanas. Faldar reached his left hand past the paladin and grabbed the dwarf's shirt. He screamed and tried to bat it away with his spear but to no avail. Kendiian just stared at the hand, he noticed a ring on one finger with a black skull emblazoned with runes. Tulanas, noticing the lieutenant's grasp on the boy brought his elbow down hard on the stretched out arm, causing Faldar to drop his hold. As Faldar was being cornered by Tulanas, guards started entering the room. They saw the princess on the floor and immediately went to aid Tulanas.

Two of the guards grabbed Faldar from behind and forced his hands well away from the body. He managed to free one and reached under the mithril collar of his chest piece. He drew out a small gem attached to a string, and before anyone could stop him he squeezed it tightly. A burst of blue light blinded Kendiian and when he looked again, the gem and Faldar had completely vanished.


	5. A Plan Made

Kendiian sat in Tulanas' office for several hours, and the young dwarf he still did not know the name of sat next to him gripping his spear talisman tighter than ever. The young one's face had taken on an almost permanent expression of fear that had only increased since the attack. Tulanas, having gotten the princess out first, had then spent the rest of the time speaking with the guards who had seen what happened. Kendiian still hadn't had a chance to tell the older elf about the ring he had seen.

He had listened to the guards telling their stories at first, however it became clear quickly that every one was the same. Each one said that he had heard shouting coming from the office, ran to see what it was, then seeing the princess on the ground and Faldar acting strange, they rushed to aid Tulanas. Nobody could account for this strange behavior, and most claimed that he must have been under some kind of control, because in his right mind he would never had harmed the princess. A few mentioned that his eyes didn't seem right, however nobody mentioned himself or the focus of Faldar's attack: the young dwarf.

Finally, the last guard made his report and left the room. Tulanas leaned back in his chair, one hand on the paper he had been taking notes on, and the other tapping on the arm of his chair. With his eyes still unfocused he turned to Kendiian. "I have no doubts he was after your friend. And if those dwarves you saw are connected then he is in a very dangerous situation."

Kendiian gazed down at the young dwarf. "What are we going to do?" he asked.

"You are going back to Kelethin."

Kendiian jerked his head around. "But..."

Tulanas held up his hand, "I have already sent a message to Nulweas, he will come get you and take you back. Whatever is going on is too dangerous and you will be safe there." He seemed to see Kendiian's frown at that statement. "Don't' worry, I will be sure Nulweas talks to Silverwing for you."

"Its not that, I want to help."

"We don't know enough. All we know is that there is someone out there, very powerful, and whoever it is wants this boy. We will keep him safe, and the best place for you is far from here." Tulanas sighed and resumed reading the notes in his hand. "I just wish someone had seen something during the attack that might help us identify the one behind it."

Kendiian sat back and scowled. This was the closest he had ever come to an adventure in his life, and he was being protected. Then he remembered the ring. "I saw something."

He told Tulanas about the ring with the skull on it, as he was telling Tulanas went from vague interest to full focus. When he was done the older elf put his report down and gained a more focused look in his eyes. "That ring could be a symbol of the inhabitants of Neriak." He said quietly.

The young elf had thought so, he had heard stories about that city. "Could this mean that the one behind it is a-"

"Dark elf!" squeaked a voice beside Kendiian. Both elves shot their focus on the young dwarf. This was the first time either of them had heard him speak. The youngsters face had gone from scared and vacant to scared and somewhat focused. "It was a dark elf!" His voice became less of a squeak, and came out a bit lower.

Before either of them could react, a knock sounded at the door and Nulweas entered the room. "Heya Tulanas..."He started in with a greeting but stopped when he noticed that nobody in the room was looking at him.

Tulanas waved a hand at the newcomer but kept his focus on the dwarf, "What about a dark elf?"

"It was a dark elf...when he had killed the fish head man, the dark elf laid a hand on him. It killed him." The dwarf broke into tears. Whatever shock he had been going through seemed to be coming to a head. Kendiian laid a hand on the youngsters shoulder reassuringly.

Nulweas stood where he was with a confused look on his face, he seemed to be recovering however. "A fish head? Could that be a Kedge?"

"It has to be, " Tulanas said thoughtfully, "The dark elves must have found some and struck a bargain with them for some end. Somehow Prexus is involved and the most logical solution to that would be the Kedge."

Kendiian began to feel confused. "I thought you said the Kedge where all killed? "

Nulweas smiled at the boy, "Yes, they where. By Phinigel Autropos. I wonder if the dark elves struck a deal with him."

Tulanas shook his head. "He has been content to stay in his keep, we have scouts around that area and they would say something if there was dark elf movements inside there. There is just something we are missing here."

"Could we ask Phinigel?" Kendiian asked.

Again, Tulanas shook his head, "He has shut himself up since his spell disaster, nobody but the water denizens of Kedge Keep speak to him now and they protect him with their lives. Nobody could get in there and remain alive long enough to speak to him."

Kendiian wasn't prepared to accept that answer, "I want to try, let me do something to help."

"Absolutely not, " Tulanas' voice was very firm now, "You are returning to Kelethin with Nulweas and staying there. "

Kendiian glared at Tulanas, that was the last thing he wanted to do. Unfortunately he couldn't think of anything to say that might convince the paladin otherwise.

A silence grew in the air as the defiant young elf glared at the cool exterior of the older paladin. After a time, it was Nulweas who broke it. "Actually, Kendiian has a better chance of success at this than anyone else. "

"Don't encourage him Nulweas. It is much too dangerous, he would be much safer in Kelethin."

"Safer perhaps, but nobody else stands a chance at speaking to Phinigel and he might have information you need."

Kendiian just sat in stunned silence. He had always felt closest to Nulweas of all of his parent's traveling companions, but to actually hear the bard try to convince Tulanas to let him go on an adventure was more than he could ever have hoped. It hadn't occurred to him yet why he might be able to speak to Phinigel.

Tulanas held his tongue for a bit as he shared his focus to Kendiian and Nulweas, but finally sighted, "You're right Nulweas. He can go." Kendiian wanted to jump off his chair in excitement. However, he didn't want anything that might make Tulanas change his mind. He kept to his chair and tried to look at mature as possible. Tulanas continued, "Take him back to Kelethin and get him ready for the trip. I'll keep the boy here and see if we can get him to open up a little more. Hopefully when Kendiian returns we can paint a bigger picture of what is going on."

Kendiian had no problems with returning to Kelethin now. He was going on an adventure. He had heard stories all his life and now he was going to live one. His heart felt as though it was going to burst through his chest and come to a rest on Tulanas' desk. He glanced up at Nulweas with an expression of unrestrained gratitude when he noticed that in the doorway behind the older wood elf stood the figure of a human. When the human noticed Kendiian looking at him, he quickly turned around and walked off.


End file.
